Attention all air guitar practitioners and Guitar Hero gurus:

It's time to get real.

In cooperation with the folks from GuitarInstructor.com, OnMilwaukee.com is going to offer a series of online guitar lessons in an effort to get people jamming.

We know a lot of people out there have guitars sitting at home, the cases caked in dust -- perhaps a string or two is missing and was never replaced -- because they bought them on a whim or received them as a gift and became frustrated trying to learn the basics.

We want to solve that problem, starting today.

In order to make this endeavor more fun and interactive, we asked for some beginning-level players to join the effort and provide us with weekly updates on their progress to help keep everyone motivated.

We originally wanted to have five "contestants" battle for a prize pack, but we will now have six share their musical journal with us as a symbolic ode to the mighty six-string. (The more the merrier, right?)

Our course will run for about two months, culminating with three song tutorials to help get everyone jamming.

In the meantime, meet our featured participants. Check out their introductory stories and feel free to use the Talkback feature to add your own.

Tune in next week and be ready to pick up the axe and rock -- no air, no video games -- this is the real deal.

SETH
Please consider me in the "learn to play guitar" contest. I am 9 years old and started playing electric guitar about a year ago. I started getting into guitar because of Guitar Hero, which I love to play on the Xbox. It all started when I was playing a song on Guitar Hero and my dad said that I could be doing this on a real guitar. After hearing that, I begged to get a real guitar and I finally got to get one. I would like to play guitar for a living when I'm older and perform in concerts. I would really like to be entered in this contest to learn some new songs and play my guitar better.

JOE
I am married, 32 years old, have a 1-1/2-year-old son, a full-time job, a dog and a burning desire to "get the band back together." This was a New Year's resolution of mine before my wife gave birth to the most perfect little juggernaut of toddler exuberance. Two years later, my guitar and amp are back in the cases sitting on the shelf in the basement.

I bought a guitar and amp during my freshman year of college and taught myself how to make a lot of noise that sounded like the chorus of every rock song heard on the radio in the late '90s. Playing the guitar, unfortunately, became something to do while sitting on the couch watching TV, but it was fun.

Then I met my wife, and the guitar has barely made it off the shelf in nine years. I still pull it out to see if it's in tune when I'm cleaning the basement, with my wife adding vocals. "Why don't you just sell that thing?" It's her favorite song we play.

KRIS
I have two kids, live in the suburbs, work a full-time office job and I want to rock. I'm a so-so drummer, but alas, you can't hum along to that, can you? Nothing I've played on the drum kit could ever be called "melodic." Indeed, my wife has never said, "Why don't you play that again?" Instead, I get the "KNOCK THAT OFF" usually. Who knows -- maybe I can do something with a guitar. I have one -- two, actually -- and there they sit -- mocking me, as if to say, "Come on, drummer boy, let's hear your best 'Freebird'." Alas, I can't do it.

I'm ready for the challenge. Maybe my wife will actually like it. Perhaps the kids will be inspired. Most importantly, if I learn how to play Chris Isaak's "Somebody's Crying," my wife will get excited ... in a certain kind of way ... She'll even ask me to play it again.

MIKE
"I've played guitar on and off rather badly for about 30 years and have a nice 1967 Gibson SG Junior and would really like to learn a few songs, possibly rockabilly, surf music or instrumentals. My son, who is 15, has a nice guitar and is into classics like AC/DC, U2, etc., so maybe a father-son duo?

BRYAN
I just got a guitar for the first time in my life at age 31. I have been to over 200 concerts and have always said I could teach myself with some online help. This is the only hobby I have ever taken on and I expect to become someone capable of playing in a bar with a band. I work on a computer daily and recently upgraded our home PC to accommodate anything online-related (watching soccer games and listening to a lot of music), so I will never have an issue with viewing the videos. I will now begin tuning the guitar I just opened out of the box.

MARCUS
The stars have aligned and I'm your man (or one of them) to embark on this challenge. I believe I have asked for a guitar for my birthday and Christmas since I was probably 15 years old and every year that guitar never came.

Fast-forward to Nov. 30, 2009: my girlfriend handed me a guitar for my 31st birthday. My mind immediately raced with excitement, questions and appreciation. What is my band's name? What kind of music does my band play? When does my first U.S. tour start? I just became all of my musical heroes and a musical hero to generations to come. And as I held this beautiful, all-black guitar, strumming the strings over and over envisioning my future rock 'n' roll lifestyle, I turned to my amazing girlfriend and brought myself back from my cloud with the realization and words ...

"Now what? I have no idea how to play this thing." With that, I ask for your help and a chance to be your first "Guitar Hero."

Marcus, the fun starts now. Here is the first lesson from GuitarInstructor.com. Have fun rocking and check back next week for a new lesson.